AgustaWestland: CBI back on money trail as info comes in from 3 countries

New Delhi, July 26: After a brief lull, the tempo in the AgustaWestland probe will pick up with the agencies planning on undertaking another round of questioning of the suspects.

This time around the probe would be to find the trail of Euro 1,26,000 and Euro 2,00,000 which was routed to the suspects through Tunisia and Mauritius.

The Central Bureau of Investigation has already completed several rounds of questioning. However, this round would be crucial, CBI sources say while adding that they have now received responses to their Letters Rogatory (LRs) from Italy, Tunisia and British Virgin Islands.

Investigators have learnt that there were two important money trails amounting to Euro 1,26,000 and Euro 2,00,000 in 2005 routed through Tunisia and Mauritius.

"There are crucial details regarding these trails in the responses that we have got and hence the questioning of the suspects becomes important. The probe had slowed down for sometime as we were awaiting responses from these countries.

However, now after a careful analysis of the details that we have received, we will question the suspects again," a CBI official informed.

All in all the CBI had sent LRs to nine countries through which money is said to have been routed.

The CBI has named several suspects in the case. "We will be calling in each of them for questioning the officer said. These will also include the former IAF chief, S P Tyagi and his two cousins," the official said.

The allegation against the former Air Chief is that he had reduced the flying ceiling of the VVIP chopper from 6,000m to 4,500m allegedly to facilitate AgustaWestland's bid.